U.S. patent number 4,991,058 [Application Number 07/434,807] was granted by the patent office on 1991-02-05 for card housing attachment for a portable computer.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Grid Systems Corporation. Invention is credited to Harold S. Long, Scott K. Smader, Lee A. Watkins.
United States Patent |
4,991,058 |
Watkins , et al. |
February 5, 1991 |
Card housing attachment for a portable computer
Abstract
A card housing attachment for adding industry standard add-on
cards to a portable computer includes a card housing which is
positioned on the top of the computer behind a tiltable display. A
battery compartment slide-in structure slides into and out of a
battery tray compartment opening in the back side of the computer
and contains interconnect-card structure for developing the power
and any clock required for the add-in card and for transmitting all
necessary control signals and data lines between the add-on card
and the computer bus.
Inventors: |
Watkins; Lee A. (San Jose,
CA), Smader; Scott K. (Cupertino, CA), Long; Harold
S. (Santa Clara, CA) |
Assignee: |
Grid Systems Corporation
(Fremont, CA)
|
Family
ID: |
23725789 |
Appl.
No.: |
07/434,807 |
Filed: |
November 9, 1989 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
361/679.41;
361/679.55; 361/727; 361/730; 361/752 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F
1/1632 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
G06F
1/16 (20060101); H05K 007/16 () |
Field of
Search: |
;14/100,106 ;307/150
;361/380,391-392,394-395,399,413,415 ;364/708 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Thompson; Gregory D.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Feix; Donald C.
Claims
We claim:
1. A card housing attachment attached to a portable computer of the
kind having an outer protective case comprising a top side and a
back side, a bus within the case, a battery tray compartment having
an opening in a back side of said case and connectors at the inner
end of said battery tray compartment for connecting auxiliary
devices to said bus of said portable computer, said card housing
attachment comprising,
card housing means for enclosing and mounting a selected add-on
card adapted to be received within said card housing means and in a
location on said top side of said case and near to said back side
of said case,
battery compartment slide-in means which are constructed to slide
into and out of said battery tray compartment opening and to
interfit closely with the interior wall structure of said battery
tray compartment,
spacing and support means for holding said card housing means and
said battery compartment slide-in means in a fixed spaced apart
relation so that the underside of said card housing means will
slide across and then be disposed above said top side of said case
as said battery compartment slide-in means are progressively
inserted into said battery compartment opening, and
interconnect means for connecting an add-on card adapted to be
received within said card housing means in operative association
with said bus of said portable computer.
2. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said card housing means
are constructed to be disposed across a small enough part of said
top side of the case so as to permit a pivotal, erectable screen of
said portable computer to be tilted back and partly over said card
housing means whereby said card housing means occupy only a space
which would otherwise not be used during operation of said portable
computer.
3. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said interconnect means
comprise end connectors for connecting to said computer connectors
located at the inner end of said battery tray compartment when said
battery compartment slide-in means are fully inserted within said
battery compartment opening.
4. The invention defined in claim 3 wherein said interconnect means
include a power supply card for producing the proper voltage and
power required for the selected add-on card mounted in said card
housing means.
5. The invention defined in claim 3 wherein said interconnect means
include an upper horizontally extending card and a lower
horizontally extending card locating in said battery compartment
slide-in means and also include a vertically extending card which
extends from said card housing means to said battery slide-in means
for transmitting control signals and data between the add-on card
and said bus of said computer.
6. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said card housing means
include an adjustable card mounting slot structure for
accommodating different length add-on cards within said card
housing means.
7. The invention defined in claim 1 including releasable latching
means for retaining said battery compartment slide-in means in
position within said battery compartment opening until the
releasable latching means are manually released.
8. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said card housing
attachment includes flange means for requiring external power to be
disconnected from said portable computer before said battery
compartment slide-in means can be inserted into said battery tray
compartment opening to thereby prevent the add-in card from being
connected to said computer bus at a time when power is supplied to
said computer.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a portable computer.
It relates particularly to a card housing attachment for use with a
portable computer of the kind having a battery tray compartment
with an opening in the back side of the computer.
The card housing attachment of the present invention comprises an
upper housing (for enclosing and mounting a selected add-on card)
and a battery compartment slide-in structure (which is insertable
into a battery tray compartment opening in the back side of the
portable computer).
The battery tray compartment slide-in structure plugs into the main
bus of the computer to supply power to the add-on card and to
transmit control signals and data between the add-on card and the
computer bus.
The card housing is a compact structure which fits on the top side
of the case of the portable computer near the rear of the computer.
In this location the card housing does not require any additional
desk space and permits the display of the portable computer to be
tilted back to its usual operative position without any
interference to the tilting of the display or to any other
components of the portable computer.
There are a large number and variety of add-on cards which have
been developed for providing enhanced operation and/or additional
functions for microprocessor based computers. Many of these add-on
cards have become industry standard add-on cards, and many of the
add-on cards are made primarily for plug-in attachment to an
existing slot in the chassis of a desk top computer.
Portable computers often do not have such existing slots (or even
the required space for such slots) within the outer, protective
case of the portable computers. It is therefore often not possible
to accommodate the plug-in addition of such industry standard
add-on cards within the interior of the outer, protective case of
portable computers.
A number of auxiliary structures and portable computer bus access
techniques have been developed for permitting industry standard
add-on cards to be associated with portable computers.
The auxiliary structures have, in some cases, resulted in rather
bulky and space consuming housings. Such housings were not entirely
satisfactory because of the increased weight, bulkiness or need of
increased desk space.
The techniques for access to the portable computer bus as developed
in the past have, in some cases, required the development of
specialized hardware and/or add-on cards with the result that
industry standard cards could not readily be utilized.
It is a primary object of the present invention to construct a card
housing attachment (1) which permits a variety of industry standard
cards to be readily accommodated and (2) which permits the card
housing attachment to be conveniently and readily associated with
the portable computer and (3) which does not require increased desk
space and (4) which permits normal tilt back positioning of the
display.
It is a related object to utilize the space on the top of the
portable computer in the rear part of the portable computer behind
the tilt-back display so that the card housing attachment occupies
only space which (1) is otherwise not used and (2) which does not
take away from usable space on a desk top.
It is another object of the invention to permit a variety of
industry standard add-on cards to be readily accommodated.
It is another object of the present invention to construct the card
housing attachment so that the attachment can be quickly and easily
removed when the portable computer is to be operated as a portable
computer without the need for an add-on card.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The card housing attachment is constructed for use with a portable
computer of the kind having a battery tray compartment with an
opening in a backside of the protective case of the portable
computer. The portable computer has connectors at the inner end of
the battery tray compartment for transmitting power, control
signals and data between the main bus of the portable computer and
an add-on card.
The card housing attachment comprises an upper card housing for
mounting a selected add-on card or an expansion chassis within the
card housing. The card housing is constructed so as to be located
on the top side of the case near the back end of the portable
computer when the card housing attachment is operatively associated
with the portable computer.
The card housing attachment includes a battery compartment slide-in
structure which is constructed to slide into and out of the battery
compartment opening and to interfit closely with the interior wall
structure of the battery compartment. A spacing and support frame
structure holds the card housing and the battery compartment
slide-in structure in a fixed, spaced apart relation so that the
underside of the card housing will slide across and be disposed
above the top side of the case as the battery compartment slide-in
structure is progressively inserted into the battery compartment
opening.
The card housing attachment includes innerconnect cards for
connecting an add-on card in the card housing in operative
association with the main bus of the portable computer. The
innerconnect cards develop the power required for the add-on card
and transmit all necessary control signals and data between the
add-on card and the main bus of the computer.
Card housing attachment constructions and techniques which
incorporate the features described above and which are effective to
function as described above constitute further, specific objects of
the present invention.
Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent
from the following description and claims and are illustrated in
the accompanying drawings, which by way of illustration, show
preferred embodiments of the present invention and the principles
thereof and what are now considered to be the best modes
contemplated for applying these principles. Other embodiments of
the invention embodying the same or equivalent principles may be
used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled
in the art without departing from the present invention and the
purview of the appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING VIEWS
FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a portable computer of the general
kind with which the card housing attachment of the present
invention is utilized. FIG. 1 shows a card housing attachment
constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the present
invention and mounted in its operative position on the top, back
part of the portable computer.
FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the portable computer and
associated card housing attachment shown in FIG. 1. In FIG. 2 the
display is shown, in bold outline, tilted down and latched to the
computer case in the position used for transport of the portable
computer. The phantom outline in FIG. 2 shows how the display is
tilted back to the operative position shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the portable computer and associated
card housing attachment shown in FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 is an elevation view of the back side of the computer and
associated card housing attachment shown in FIG. 3.
FIG. 5 is a fragmentary isometric view, partly broken away to show
details of construction, and taken from the upper, back side of the
portable computer. FIG. 5 shows how the battery compartment
slide-in structure is insertable into a battery tray compartment
opening and shows how the slide-in structure interfits closely with
the associated internal wall structure of the portable computer
battery tray compartment.
FIG. 6 is an isometric view, taken from the upper and back side, of
a card housing attachment (by itself) constructed in accordance
with one embodiment of the present invention. The card housing
attachment shown in FIG. 6 is the same as that shown in association
with the portable computer in FIGS. 1-5. In FIG. 6 some parts of
the card housing have been broken away to show details of interior
construction and some interior components within the card housing
are shown in phantom outline.
FIG. 7 is a fragmentary, isometric view taken from the bottom side
of FIG. 6, to show details of the battery compartment slide-in
structure of the card housing attachment.
FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view, taken along the length of the
manually releasable latch bar mechanism, to show how the manually
releasable latch bar mechanism holds the battery compartment
slide-in structure latched in place until the latch bar is manually
actuated to permit the battery cavity slide-in structure to be
withdrawn from the battery cavity of the portable computer.
FIG. 9 is an isometric view, taken from the bottom side of the
manually actuated latching bar, to show details of the structure of
this latch bar mechanism.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a portable computer 11 of the
general kind with which the card housing attachment of the present
invention is utilized. FIG. 1 shows a card housing attachment 41,
constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the present
invention, mounted in the operative position on the top, back part
of the portable computer 11.
The portable computer 11 has an outer case 13. The outer case has a
top 15, a bottom 17, a back end 19 and two sides 21 and 23.
A display 25 is mounted within a display frame 27, and the display
frame 27 is pivotally connected to the outer case 13 so that the
display frame 27 can be pivoted back and forth between the inclined
viewing position (shown in FIG. 1) and a closed position (shown in
FIG. 2) in which the display frame covers keyboard 29 (see FIG.
1).
The portable computer 11 is of the general kind described and
illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,571,456 issued Feb. 18, 1986 to
Paulsen, et al.; U.S. Design Pat. No. DES. 280,511 issued Sept. 10,
1985 to Moggridge, et al.; and U.S. Design Pat. No. DES. 280,622
issued Sept. 17, 1985 to Moggridge, et al.
The portable computer 11 incorporates a slide-in battery tray
compartment comprising an opening 30 in the back end 19 (see FIG.
5). The battery tray compartment has interior wall structure 31 and
a plug in board 32 located at the inner end of the battery
compartment.
The plug in board 32 has connectors 33 and 34 which connect to the
main logic board (not shown) of the portable computer. The
connectors 33 and 34 provide access to the power, control signals
and data lines of the main bus of the computer. The structure and
components of the battery tray compartment shown in FIG. 5 and in
the other drawing views of this application are the same as
described and illustrated in co-pending U.S. application Ser. No.
07/252,177 filed Sept. 30, 1988 by Dennis R. Mitchell, et al., and
assigned to the same assignee as the assignee of this application.
Each of the three U.S. patents listed immediately above (U.S. Pat.
No. 4,571,456; U.S. Design Pat. No. DES 280,511 and U.S. Design
Pat. No. DES 280,622) and the pending U.S. application Ser. No.
07/252,177 filed Sept. 30, 1988, listed immediately above, is
incorporated by reference in this application in accordance with
the provisions of Section 608.01(P)(B) of the Manual of Patent
Examining Procedure of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
In accordance with the present invention a card housing attachment
41 (best shown in FIG. 6) plug-ins into the main bus through the
battery compartment tray and provides an upper card mounting
compartment (1) which is located on the top rear part of the
portable computer and (2) which is disposed neatly and compactly
beneath and behind the screen when the screen is erected to the
operative position shown in FIG. 1.
The card housing attachment 41 of the present invention permits
industry standard half-cards and longer cards to be used with the
portable computer 11.
A local area network (LAN) card is the most typical application,
but any industry standard card can be used. The card housing
attachment 41 of the present invention passes the bus through the
card housing attachment to the add-on card and develops the power
and any clock necessary for the half-card.
The card housing attachment 41 can be conveniently added to and
removed from the portable computer 11.
The card housing attachment 41 is associated with the top and rear
part of the computer 11 so as to require almost no additional desk
space.
The card housing attachment permits the portable computer 11 to be
used in multiple ways on the desk (by using various selected add-in
cards) while providing the option of removal (for minimum size and
weight of the portable computer) when the portable computer is used
as a portable computer without a need for the added functions of
the add-on card.
The card housing attachment of the present invention thus makes it
quite easy and convenient to use a number of standard
off-the-shelf, industry standard add-on card modules.
The card housing attachment of the present invention also permits
the option of using the card housing attachment to go to a full
expansion chassis for the portable computer 11.
As best shown in FIG. 6, the card housing attachment 41 comprises
an upper housing 42 having a chassis 43 and an associated,
removable cover 45.
As best shown in FIG. 7, the card housing attachment 41 comprises a
battery tray compartment slide-in structure 47. The battery tray
compartment slide-in structure 47 has top, bottom and side walls
which interfit closely with the interior wall construction of the
battery compartment of the portable computer 11 as the slide-in
structure 47 is inserted into the computer and as the slide-in
structure 47 is withdrawn from the computer 11 through the opening
30 (see FIG. 5).
The slide-in structure 47 is connected to and spaced from the
chassis 43 of the upper card housing structure by a spacer and
support frame 49 (best shown in FIG. 7). The frame 49 holds the
upper card housing 42 and the lower battery compartment slide-in
structure 47 in a fixed, spaced apart relation so that the
underside of the card housing will slide across and will then be
disposed above the top side 15 of the case 13 of the portable
computer 11 as the battery compartment slide-in structure is
progressively inserted into the battery compartment opening 30.
An add-on card 80 within the card housing 42 is operatively
associated with the computer bus by an interconnecting card
structure which is affective to develop the power and any clock
timing required by the add-on card and which is effective to pass
all required control signals and data lines from the bus to the
add-on card while limiting EMI (electromagnetic imination) so that
the system remains within regulatory requirements. The
interconnecting card structure provides the power, control signal
and data lines for industry standard XT type cards and AT type
cards. In a specific embodiment of the present invention the
interconnecting card structure includes a vertically extending
interconnect card 51 (see FIG. 6). An upper horizontally extending
card 53 and a lower horizontally extending card 55 within the
slide-in structure 47 (see FIG. 6).
Connectors 57 and 59 detachably connect the top card 53 to the
bottom card 55 (see FIG. 6) to transmit control signal and/or data
lines from one card to the other card.
Connectors 61 and 63 at the inner end of the slide-in structure 47
(see FIG. 7) are engagable with the respective associated
connectors 33 and 34 of the portable computer (see FIG. 5).
The upper and lower cards 53 and 55 may include a daughter card
(not illustrated) for converting to the particular power and for
voltage needed for a specific add-on card 80 contained within the
upper housing 42.
As best illustrated in FIG. 6 the vertically extending interconnect
card 51 has one or more sets of standard pin connectors for
connecting to the edge connectors of an industry standard add-on
card 80.
As also illustrated in FIG. 6, the chassis 43 has an adjustable
bracket 69 formed with slots 71 so that associated screws 73 can be
loosened or tightened to permit sliding of the bracket 69 along the
length of the slots to accommodate different length add-in
cards.
The bracket 69 has an upstanding part 75 which permits a limited
amount of vertical movement of a slotted card edge mount 77.
The cover 45 can be removed from the chassis 43 by the taking out a
number of removable screws 79 (see FIG. 6).
It is important that the card housing attachment 41 be retained
securely in position when it is assembled in operative association
with the portable computer 11.
In accordance with the present invention a latch bar 81 is mounted
in a slot 83 formed in a bottom wall 85 of the battery compartment
slide-in structure 47 (see FIG. 7).
As best shown in FIG. 9 the bottom edge of the latch bar 81 is
formed with an inclined ramp 87, and the inner end of the latch bar
is connected to the slide-in structure 47 by a spring 89. When the
latch bar 81 is manually pulled outward by a handle 91, the incline
87 rides up and over a retaining latch element 94 of the battery
tray compartment to permit the entire slide-in structure 47 to be
withdrawn through the opening 30 (see FIG. 5).
As best shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the card housing attachment 41
includes a flange 93 which is aligned with the plug-in connector 95
of the portable computer 11. This location of the flange 93
requires the line cord connector 28 (which supplies the external
power to the computer through the connector 95) to be disconnected
before the battery compartment slide-in means can be inserted into
the battery compartment opening 30. This prevents the add-in card
from being connected to the computer bus at a time when power is
supplied to the bus. The flange 93 is also shown in FIGS. 3 and
4.
In operation, a selected add-on card 80 is mounted within the card
housing 42.
The battery compartment slide-in structure 47 is then inserted into
the opening 30 (after the battery has been removed from the
portable computer 11 and after the external power has been
disconnected from the connector 95).
As the battery compartment slide-in structure 47 is fully inserted
into the battery tray compartment of the portable computer 11 the
connectors 61 and 63 interconnect with the respective connectors 33
and 34 (see FIG. 5). The external power is then reconnected to the
computer 11 by inserting the fitting 28 (see FIG. 2) into the
connector 95, see FIG. 5. At this point the computer 11 with the
associated add-in card 80 in the card housing attachment 41 is
ready for operation using external power. The computer and
associated add-on card can be operated in an office as a desk top
computer or in the field wherever external power is available.
The card housing attachment of the present invention permits
industry standard and other add-in cards and even an expansion
chassis to be readily associated with the portable computer 11 in a
way which does not require modification to the portable computer 11
itself and in a way which does not require any additional desk
space and in a way which does not interfere with the usual
positioning of the display or other components of the portable
computer 11.
The card housing attachment of the present invention can be removed
or can be left in place when it is desired to transport the
portable computer 11 from one location to another.
While we have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments
of our invention, it is to be understood that these are capable of
variation and modification, and we therefore do not wish to be
limited to the precise details set forth, but desire to avail
ourselves of such changes and alterations as fall within the
purview of the following claims.
* * * * *